Starring:
Date: November 24, 2011
Summary:
After the battle and clearing the mission they were brought here to do, Daisuke and Hashi are left with the sealed volatile chakra and options to deal with it.
"Mastery of Oneself - Trickery"
Hidden Ancient Forest - Land of Fire
A few minutes had passed since the giant battle in the cave and Daisuke had retrieved another
source of light and was resting by Hashiramako. There wasn't really anything to see in such a dark cave,
especially with how far they had gone inside, but Daisuke was staring up into the pitch black, just trying
to relax and rest before their inevitable trip home. He turns his head to look towards his aunt after a few
more minutes with that boyish grin of his. "We make a pretty good team battling dinosaurs in the pitch
dark." With a chuckle the boy wipes his cheek with a dirtied hand, making an already dirty face even
dirtier.
The red-headed Senju suddenly stands, smacking his pants to get the dust and grim off, "What is
our next move, then? Mission complete?" he asks curiously, not particularly eager to leave the cave but
unable to tell whether that was him or the beast's true feelings.
Hashiramako was a little fatigued from sealing. It wasn't easy handling all that chakra. "I didn't
battle anything." She grinned. "I did the clean up work. You handled all the dirty part of the job." She
looked at the scroll and began to roll it up now that the chakra was sealed inside. "As for our next move,
I can't say for sure. This forest seems like it's cleaned up well enough thanks to the both of us. We
cleared out the evil that was in the cave…" She tried to give some extra thought to the matter, humming
as she did so, but nothing came to mind. "I suppose the only thing that's left is getting rid of this chakra
somehow…"
Daisuke grins, a sheepish grin, as Hashi commends him for doing all the work, even if she didn't
actually say that. In his head she did and she was proud! When the question arises on what to do with
the stored chakra, Daisuke hmms. He still wasn't completely clued into where the original source of
this chakra was located. It was familiar but who knows what kind of evil chakras are out there in the
world. "Well we don't want it to get back out there and infect animals again … or worse, people. Is
there a source of this stuff that we can return it to? Something that will contain it better and longer
than a scroll?" he asks curiously, making suggestions on topics he wasn't exactly too educated on. If a
lost animal was terrorizing the village because it was scared and wishing to go back home, you return it
home and problem solved.
Hashi slipped the scroll onto her back as she replied, "There may be." Once she finished with the
scroll, she turned her sights to her surroundings. "I would like to place it somewhere it will be safe." She
focused on Daisuke as she said this, her eyes almost seeming to scrutinize him. "I almost don't want to
say this, but…I'm thinking of placing it in you. As far as I know, it does belong to a source and that source
has to be the Four Tail resting inside of you."
Daisuke straightens up as Hashi moves, thinking it was time to leave the cave so he had to look
sharp. When confronted with the question of the source and the revelation that the chakra most likely
came from the beast within him, a deep frown resides on his lips, not often shown by Daisuke who
always seems to be grinning from ear to ear. "From me… back to me… I guess that would make the
most sense. Did some of that red chakra leak out of me or something?" he asks, padding himself all over
as if he were checking for leaks and holes. "What should I be expecting from this type of transfer?" he
adds, slightly worried. He itches his lower back, the location of the seal Hashi placed on him long ago,
waiting for a reply.
Hashi shook her head as she followed Daisuke's lead to leave the cave. "The chakra that
was here had been here already. I'm guessing it was all residual. Leftovers, you could say." She
explained. "Needed to find hosts to give it purpose and so the animals grew corrupted and twisted,
enable to handle such immense power." She explained. "From this transfer, I'm hoping that it would
blend back with what you already have, but I'm guessing there may need to be some 'cleansing'
required." How to clean chakra, she wasn't sure, but there had to be a way. "Perhaps the Ape may
know. Can you get him to cooperate?"
"Easier said than done." Daisuke says as he lets this all sink in. More chakra couldn't be a bad thing,
right? They move through the cave's darkness, unknowingly heading in the wrong direction, getting
turned about in the last battle. Suddenly that all-to-familiar voice speaks up in his head, 'Do it kid, it
will save us a lot of hassle.' Daisuke frowns for the second time in a row as he turns to Hashi in the dark
cave. "He seems oddly cooperative about this idea." he says, seeming suspicious. "But if you are right
then we should seal it quickly before anything else happens." he adds as he stops. "How do we do it?"
Hashi thought to give it a shot. She expected willingness, but she still didn't have an explanation of
how to go about doing it. "Well…" She inflected as she raised an arm to rub her head. "I would like to
seal it quickly, but who knows what goes into cleansing this chakra. Unless it can be accepted as is by
the Ape, then I don't think it would be safe to transfer it inside you." She lowers her hand and looks to
Daisuke with a concerned expression. "I might have to do a bit of research and see what I can do about
cleansing the chakra, if that should need to be done."
Daisuke shakes his head, he knew that they did not have the luxury of returning home to research
this step and time was not on their side. "Mako-ba-san, We do not have the time for that. At least I have
you around in case something goes wrong, right?" he says with a forced smile and a clenched fist, a sign
of his determination to see this through. "Besides, you have your necklace and cool sealing technique
that you showed me while training, I say we get this done."
Hashi wasn't sure of what to think. "I know we don't have time, but I don't want to seal anything
inside of you that has the potential to bring damage. I'm being cautious and even if I'm around, I can't
do it all." She offered sincerely with a hint of sadness in her tone. "I worry, naturally and although I'm
strong, even I have my weak moments. This happens to be one of the few." She managed a smile and
placed her hand on Daisuke's shoulder. "I see you're determined and that's almost enough to place
me in the mind to do this, but…" She paused and removed her hand, allowing it to rest at her side. She
inhaled deeply and sighed, "I suppose I should be more confident. I've done this before and I can do it
again. I do have that necklace and technique. If they have to come into use, then I'll use them without
hesitation." Her confidence begins to build as she continues to speak.
"We'll get this done. I'd just like to get out of this cave first…" She looked around. "…Where are we,
anyway?" She didn't think the cave was this long.
Daisuke nods his head, feeling a little uneasy with even his aunt, the Hokage, feeling less than
certain. He decides to focus on the location of the exit, peering around the darkness. "Well we got
turned about a bit in that battle but we should be fairly close to the exit if we continue on. We've
been talking and walking so maybe we haven't moved as far as we think? Lets try running for a bit." he
suggests, waiting for his aunt before he would be running like a 'true ninja', hands behind him flapping
in the wind because that is apparently the fastest way to run.
After a good 10 or so minutes of running, with the occasional Daisuke tripping over a spare bone
or rock in the darkness, light was able to be seen ahead. "Ahh, the light at the end of the tunnel."
Daisuke says, sounding relieved. It takes another 5 or so minutes to reach the entrance of the cave but
eventually they make it. As they arrive Daisuke takes a deep breath, exhaling slowly. "So.."
Hashi nodded in agreement. Maybe running could help and perhaps in the meantime, she could
clear her head and think more. She took off after Daisuke, arms placed behind her hanging freely in the
air as she speeds down the way through the cave. She has a bit more luck avoiding the skeletal obstacles
around her than her nephew, causing her to laugh when she saw him trip up every so often.
When the light began to fade into view at the end, she shouted, "Hold it!" as she began to slow
down before leaving the cave mouth. She gestured for Daisuke to come closer to her saying, "I don't
want to leave here just yet. As an extra precaution, if I'm going to perform this sealing again, I'd like
to stay behind the barrier placed on this cave." Reaching for the scroll on her back, she began to seat
herself on the ground and unfurl it.
She then began to remove her necklace and wrap it around her hands. "Alright, are you ready for
this?" She asked. "I'm going to release the chakra that's in the scroll and I expect to see you absorb it.
You tell that Ape that he better do his job properly." She joked, though there was some seriousness in
her tone.
Daisuke stops suddenly at Hashi's request, looking back at her curiously. Upon hearing her plan he
smiles, not just because they were doing this, but because she sounded more into the idea than she
was back in the darkness of the cave. He nods his head firmly as per Hashi's instructions, taking another
deep breath as he communes with the beast. 'You ready to do this? No joking around, this could hurt
us.' All he gets is a 'hmph' sound and a 'hurry up.' He shrugs his shoulders and stands there watching
Hashi. "Ok, ready I guess. Should I take a pose or something?" He scratches his head.
Hashi offered a devious smirk. "Yes, you should. You should place your arms out in front of you,
then lift your forearms until they point straight up. Ball your fists and then presume to squat into a
strong and steady stance. Once you've done that, we can get started." She knew it was bad, but this was
a memory she couldn't pass up. Making him look like he's about to use the commode was pretty funny.
She cracked her knuckles and proceeded to position her hands to be at the ready so she could make a
seal and release this chakra.
Daisuke slowly does what Hashi wants, doing exactly what she wants every step of the way. A little
confused at the pose, he doesn't clue in until he starts the squat and stops, going "Hey!" He pouts a
bit, his cheeks red from embarrassment as he mutters something incoherent under his breath. 'Hurry
it up kid, I'm not getting any younger' says the Ape inside of Daisuke's head, to which Daisuke mutters
something else under his breath in return. "The beast is getting a little impatient, it seems. I'm ready to
go."
Hashi laughed, her jolly mood reverberating in the cave. "Alright, alright. I'll get started." She
stated in between laughter. "I'll speed this along." She composed herself and placed her hands into a
number of seals, finishing up with the seal on the scroll confirming she performed them correctly before
it disappeared and the void opened back up, beginning to release the chakra, easily causing the dust to
stir in the cave and create a soft hum as the artificial wind courses in the area. "Alright, it's coming! Just
remember I'm right here if anything should go wrong!" She called over the noise, hands at the ready as
she placed herself on the defensive. She was ready to employ the necklace and seal should the need
arise.
Daisuke prepares himself as best he can, all the while the beast eager to get it started. As the chakra
begins to be released into the air the demonic cloak around Daisuke appears again, resonating with
the chakra. The chakras touch, causing an odd sensation within Daisuke. He lifts one hand up to look
at it, completely covered in the cloak now as the chakra begins to feed into the cloak. Unbeknownst to
him, two tails of the cloak were forming behind Daisuke and the Ape was getting really excited. Daisuke
looked around calmly enough as if he were in control, saying "It feels weird, like … a wave of sadness."
he says to his aunt, keeping her apprised of the situation and what was going on.
Meanwhile within Daisuke the Ape was taking in the new chakra, the chakra he was left without
when Hashiramako had sealed him so long ago. At his full strength he could be king of the jungle again
and break free of this prison, oh how he longed for the forests again, even though in his pride he would
never admit missing it. With more and more chakra the beast was gaining more and more control as a
third tail began to sprout from Daisuke's cloak, of important note is that he had yet to control anything
passed a third tail cloak form. The boy himself still seemed unaware of the changes in his cloak, focused
on the chakra that was seeping from Hashi's scroll to his chakra cloak.
Suddenly the bubbling of a fourth tail in the cloak was forming, Daisuke's arms bulging out
considerably as his canine teeth elongate. He holds his stomach and takes a knee, calling out in
pain. "Somethi…ng is wrong…" he says as the beast begins to tip him over the point where he had
control..
Hashi watched the scene unfold carefully, her eyes glowing softly under the cloak of the Ape as it
was being released. Two tails revealed themselves as they have before, but then things changed and a
third appeared as well as fourth. It didn't take long for her to get the picture and in turn, she began to
make handseals with both hands, one hand tipped with chakra glowing at her fingers. With the other,
she began to filter chakra into her necklace to utilize. "Fight it, Daisuke!!" She called to him and brought
herself to rise from the ground.
She placed speed into her run towards him, looking to aim for his seal so that she could aid him in
sealing up this stronger cloak. "You can't allow him to win! You're stronger than this!" She continued to
shout as she drew closer, readying herself to strike his seal.
Daisuke lets out a howl of pain as his eyes flash open, revealing the solid golden eyes of the beast.
He was struggling, that much was clear, because if he hadn't the beast would've fully taken over by now.
His cloak begins to burn his skin, which is now much bulkier and well-built than it was. The chakra of the
cloak settles on his exposed underlayer of skin, revealing reddish fur that Hashi would recognize from
her fight with the Ape. "I can't… hold on." he says, still struggling. It was clear he needed help as the Ape
was not in the mood to share control and was forcing his power out of Daisuke to consume him. 'Just
give in kid, we can have so much fun with you watching from inside this cage. It's about time we switch
places, isn't it?' says the beast in Daisuke's head, trying to weaken his resolve that is holding strong at
the brink.
Hashi watched the scene unfold carefully, her eyes glowing softly under the cloak of the Ape as it
was being released. She knew Daisuke was trying, but sheer willpower alone wouldn't be enough against
a wild beast like this. She flickered out of view only to find her place behind Daisuke. Drawing her arm
back she thrust it forward, her voice raising into a yell as she did so to emphasize that she wasn't going
to allow the beast to overwhelm Daisuke.
With a well placed hand, she struck his seal and it responded in part by drawing chakra from her
with the necklace aiding in granting it more power. Her arm was burning while inside the cloak, but it
wasn't important enough to warrant retracting. This beast needed to be sealed.
The beast began to howl inside Daisuke as Hashiramako's hand hits home, drawing the power she
held into the seal and strengthening its power over the demonic chakra sealed within. Daisuke watches
as the chakra of the cloak begins to retract back inside before disappearing, leaving him on his knees on
the ground with a few wounds where the cloak had burned his upper layer of skin off. "Did we do it?"
he asks groggily, standing up with one knee, slowly pushing himself up to a complete standing position.
There was one unhappy camper inside Daisuke as the beast howled, promising to get out of his cage if
it was the last thing he did. Daisuke winces, holding his head. "He's not too happy. I guess that was his
plan all along, getting a power boost and using it to try to break out. I guess no matter what, a caged
beast will always want free, it makes perfect sense." he says, sighing as he moves over to the wall and
rests against it. "He's not going to let it go. I need a way to control this without having to rely on you
being there with me, or I will never be able to be my own ninja." he says, frustrated, slamming the back
of his fist against the wall behind him.
Hashi held her hand in place until the cloak disappeared entirely and even after. It's only when
Daisuke began to fall to his knees that she pulled her hand away and kneeled with him to try and catch
him. He caught himself on the way down, but that still didn't keep her from being by his side. "We did
it…" She stated to him, albeit a bit taxed herself. "Handling that one is no easy task…" She huffed out.
Upon hearing about the Ape being unhappy, her lips curled into a frown as she said, "I didn't do it for his
wellbeing. I did it for yours. He needs to learn that…"
Rising from the ground after her nephew, she nodded in agreement with his words regarding
the caged beast. "I agree, you do need a way to control. For now, you need rest. You can think about
controlling it later. Don't be too hard on yourself. It's a powerful creature you're dealing with, but I'm
confident you'll learn to control it. For the time being…just relax."
